Credit: Getty
Strong Women
Can you master the fitness basics? From touching your toes to running upstairs, these are the 6 fitness non-negotiables
By Anna Bartter
13 months ago
5 min read
It’s difficult to know where to start with fitness, but what if we told you that the most effective moves and tests are also the most basic?
The workout world can be daunting, particularly if you’re a beginner. It can be tough to get started when it feels like everyone else knows what they’re doing. But we’re here to tell you that movement doesn’t have to be complicated – and remind you of the excellent mental and physical wellbeing benefits of having a basic level of fitness and mobility.
With this in mind, we’ve asked personal trainers for their top basic moves we should all be striving for – no matter our fitness level.
According to a report by PureGym UK, we’re woefully lacking in physical fitness in the UK – and we’re not just talking about being able to run 5k or lifting 20kg in the gym. We’re failing to reach what could be said to be the bare minimum. The survey found that 41% of the population can’t touch their toes, while more than two-thirds (70%) of people aged under 34 can’t walk upstairs without feeling out of breath.
There seems to be a huge disparity between people who work out regularly and those of us who do very little, even people who consider themselves to be fit can struggle with basic moves such as climbing stairs or doing a push-up.
We all know that being physically fit reduces our risk of premature death and developing diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
But leaving aside the fact that regular physical activity is essential for a healthy body and mind, the ability to move freely and with flexibility has more rudimentary advantages. Think about the last time you carried some heavy shopping bags home – you’ll have needed grip strength and shoulder mobility to hold the bags, along with cardiovascular strength and flexibility to walk with weight. And we all need to get up and down stairs on the daily – wouldn’t it be great to be able to do this without a second thought?
6 basic moves we should be able to do
There’s no doubt that any degree of physical fitness makes everyday life a little easier. Running to catch a train, picking things up off the floor, reaching for groceries in the supermarket – these are all things that become second nature when we’re fit but can cause issues when we’re not.
Touch your toes
“Being able to touch your toes shows strength and flexibility,” explains personal trainer Beth Davies. “Strength is essential for many everyday tasks and being able to move freely and with ease.”
Strength in this sense isn’t about how much you can deadlift, but rather our ability to lift and move everyday things. By all means, work up to strength training if you are able, as it has so many benefits, including improving bone density and reducing our risk of injury. Being flexible, meanwhile, has many benefits, including improved circulation and helping the flow of nutrients and oxygen through our bodies.
Credit: Getty
Get on the floor – and get back up again (without using your hands)
Activities such as crawling and getting up from the floor might not be top of your to-do list, but they are great, simple ways to work on balance, co-ordination and flexibility – and they can be done easily at home. Davies recommends adding them to your daily routine.
“To assess your lower body strength, the simple sit-down stand-up test works well,” explains David Wiener, trainer at fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics. “In addition to strength, it calls for flexibility, balance, motor coordination, and muscle power relative to body weight. To perform this task, start by crossing your feet, then lowering yourself down to the ground so you’re sitting cross-legged. Then, stand back up without using your hands or losing your balance.”
Reach up high above your head
The ability to stretch and reach is indicative of good shoulder mobility, essential for carrying, posture and more. “Good shoulder mobility benefits include being able to reach up high, carrying and better posture,” says Davies. “These are all useful for everyday tasks such as being able to reach for something on a high shelf, being able to slam a car boot shut or being able to carry shopping.”
Unscrew jar lids and carry some shopping home
It’s been shown that grip strength is an indicator of overall health, and it’s something that we could all do with. From taking the lids off jars (who doesn’t love being able to do this when everyone else has tried and failed?) to being able to carry moderately heavy objects comfortably, you’ll notice that you use grip strength every day.
Grip strength is an indicator of overall health
Beth Davies
Balance on one leg
When was the last time you tried to stand on one leg? Balance is something we tend to take for granted, but studies show that the ability to balance has been linked to a decreased risk of stroke as well as being a good marker of the risk of falling.
“In order to have good balance, we need hip mobility,” explains Davies. “This can be tested in your ability to squat or by doing the sit-to-stand test. It requires strength in the muscles of the lower body and we use it every day, simply getting up out of a chair or getting off the loo.”
Balance is an essential part of fitness, health and wellbeing and there are incredibly simple ways you can test your balance from home. Simply place a workout mat in the centre of the floor and stand on one leg with your arms crossed in front of you and close your eyes. Try to remain in this position for as long as possible without dropping your foot or uncrossing your arms. If you can last more than 30 seconds, it indicates you have good balance.
Credit: Getty
Walk every day (especially up the stairs)
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: walking is a great, accessible way to improve your fitness and wellbeing. “Over and above the physical benefits, walking has many benefits from helping better sleep, reducing stress and managing anxiety,” agrees Davies. “Make it an aim to walk without pain. Painful movement is often avoided, which means missing out on the cardiovascular and bone and muscle benefits of walking.”
When you’re ready to, you can try incorporating running up and down the stairs a few times a day. Even just a small amount of cardiovascular activity has huge benefits, and something that doesn’t feel too much like work will be easier to stick to.
So there you have it – try to touch your toes, go for a walk and carry some shopping home – it doesn’t get much simpler than that.
Images: Getty
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